Every character in Halcyon Aces is defined by four stats, each rated from 1 to 5. Your stats determine how many cards you draw for a given type of check, how powerful your Resonance bonus is, and your character's derived values like Vitality and Guard. Each stat maps to one of the four card suits, binding who your character is to how the deck responds.
Heart â„
Charisma, empathy, social grace, willpower.
Heart governs persuasion, deception, performance, leadership, and the healing arts. A high-Heart character is the face of the party: inspiring allies in combat, talking down hostiles, and channeling restorative magic through sheer compassion. Heart also underpins willpowerâthe inner strength to push through despair or resist emotional manipulation.
- Convincing a merchant to lower prices
- Performing a song to distract a crowd
- Rallying broken soldiers to fight
- Resisting a Siren's call
- Lying convincingly to an old friend
Body âŁ
Strength, endurance, agility, resilience.
Body governs melee combat, athletics, stealth, and resisting physical effects. A high-Body character is the front-liner: enduring punishing blows, cleaving through enemies, and performing feats of raw physicality. Body also covers agility and coordinationânot just brute force, but graceful movement and precision in the physical world.
- Kicking down a reinforced door
- Leaping across a chasm
- Wrestling a beast to the ground
- Sneaking past sentries
- Resisting poison
- Swimming against a current
Mind âŠ
Intellect, perception, memory, tactical acuity.
Mind governs investigation, crafting, ranged precision, lore, and strategy. A high-Mind character is the party's analyst: spotting traps before they spring, planning ambushes, identifying enemy weaknesses, and threading arrows through gaps in armor. Mind also covers memory and learningârecalling old texts, deducing patterns, and connecting disparate clues.
- Identifying a rare herb
- Noticing a concealed door
- Crafting a mechanical lock
- Firing an arrow at a distant target
- Recalling the weakness of an ancient demon
- Deciphering a coded message
Spirit â
Inner power, mystical attunement, intuition.
Spirit governs spellcasting, sensing magic, communing with spirits, and resisting supernatural effects. A high-Spirit character channels forces beyond the physical: flinging arcane bolts, warding allies against curses, reading the flow of magical energy, and speaking with entities that exist between worlds. Spirit also represents gut instinctâthe deep, wordless knowing that something is wrong.
- Casting an offensive spell
- Detecting a hidden enchantment
- Communing with a forest spirit
- Resisting a curse
- Sensing an ambush before it happens
- Channeling energy through a catalyst
Stat Ranges
Stats range from 1 to 5. At character creation, the starting maximum is 4 in any single stat (templates distribute 8 points with a minimum of 1 per stat). The absolute maximum of 5 can only be reached through Advancement.
| Rating | Tier | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Untrained | Below average. You draw two cards (the minimum) but Resonance is only +1âyour options are limited and matching suits barely help. |
| 2 | Competent | Functional. Two cards gives you options, and Resonance starts to matter. |
| 3 | Skilled | Reliably good. Three cards means you'll often find what you need. |
| 4 | Expert | Among the best. Four-card draws give you consistent access to strong plays and Resonance. |
| 5 | Legendary | The peak of mortal ability. Five cards and a +5 Resonance bonus mean even low matching cards become powerful. |
Derived Values
Four values are calculated from your stats. Track these on your character sheet.
| Value | Formula | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Vitality (HP) | 10 + (Body Ă 3) + (Heart Ă 2) | Your health pool. At 0 Vitality, you're Broken (see Combat). |
| Guard | 5 + Body | Your passive physical defense. Attacks must meet or beat your Guard to deal damage. |
| Resolve | 5 + Spirit | Your passive magical/mental defense. Supernatural effects check against this. |
| Initiative Draw | 1 card (flat for all) | At the start of combat, draw 1 card to set your initiative order for the entire fight. The card goes to fatigue. |
Kael has Body 3, Heart 2, Mind 2, Spirit 1.
- Vitality: 10 + (3Ă3) + (2Ă2) = 10 + 9 + 4 = 23
- Guard: 5 + 3 = 8
- Resolve: 5 + 1 = 6
Kael can take a beating, but supernatural attacks hit him hard.
Mira has Body 1, Heart 2, Mind 2, Spirit 4.
- Vitality: 10 + (1Ă3) + (2Ă2) = 17
- Guard: 5 + 1 = 6
- Resolve: 5 + 4 = 9
Mira is fragile physically but shrugs off curses and mental assaults.
Stat Interactions: Ambiguous Situations
Sometimes it's not obvious which stat applies. Here are guidelines for common edge cases:
Intimidation
Can be Heart (force of personality), Body (physical menace), or Mind (cold logic laying out consequences). The GM decides based on how the player describes the attempt.
Stealth
Typically Body (physical movement), but could be Mind (planning a route to avoid detection) or Spirit (magically masking your presence).
Crafting
Usually Mind (technical knowledge), but forging a blade might call for Body, and enchanting an object calls for Spirit.
Leadership
Typically Heart (inspiration), but rallying troops with tactical orders might be Mind (strategy).
The stat should match the approach, not just the goal. Two characters trying to sneak past the same guard might use different stats depending on their methods.